San Leandro Chiropractor San Leandro Chiropractor Page 21 San Leandro Chiropractor San Leandro Chiropractor

Ear Infections in Children and Chiropractic Care

December 22, 2011 by drburt

Ear Infections in Children and Chiropractic Care

Many parents know that dealing with painful ear infections at night is not fun. Children scream through an agonizing pain. At least that what my wife and myself have been experiencing the last couple of nights. We were stressed out and our four and half years old boy was even more stressed out. Fortunately our son was breast fed till he was 20 months old and I have to admit that it is a heroic act on my spouse’s behalf. Until recently we did not have any problems with ear infection and pain.

November was a month that our family was traveling a lot all over the country. That means only one thing, lots of time on an airplane full of people who most likely carry some sort of virus or cold infection, eating out and lack of exercises. These three main factors will do some serious damage to an adult’s health but child is taking it to a whole different level. Their fragile immune system has to fight new invaders every day.

Before I go into an explanation of a pain and suffering process of ear infection I would like to explain what it is and what the treatment procedures for such health problem. The ear has two functions – hearing and balance and it consists of three different parts – the outer ear, middle ear, and inner ear. I am not going to bore you with its function and anatomy, you can simply click on links that I have provided if interested. Kids develop ear infections more frequently in the first 2 to 4 years of their life for several reasons:

Their eustachian tubes are shorter and more horizontal than those of adults, which allows bacteria and viruses to find their way into the middle ear more easily. Their tubes are also narrower and less stiff, which makes them more prone to blockage.
The adenoids, which are gland-like structures located in the back of the upper throat near the eustachian tubes, are large in children and can interfere with the opening of the eustachian tubes.

A number of other factors can contribute to kids getting ear infections, such as exposure to cigarette smoke, bottle-feeding, and day-care attendance (that was our case as well in addition to travel). Ear infections also occur more commonly in boys than girls, in kids whose families have a history of ear infections, and during the winter season when upper respiratory tract infections or colds are frequent.

There are several options available for treating middle ear infections in children. One of the most popular is use of antibiotics where child has to take during a course of ten days or so. Sometimes this treatment will not work because it could also be a viral infection. For those children who have chronic infections in some cases, an ear, nose, and throat doctor will suggest surgically inserting tubes (called tympanostomy tubes) in the tympanic membrane. This allows fluid to drain from the middle ear and helps equalize the pressure in the ear because the eustachian tube is unable to.

In our particular case I have adjusted my son’s right occipital region about four nights in a raw. On a fifth night he slept through without any pain at all. It has been about a month since the last episode and so far he did not complain about any ear pain at all. Research showed that 80% of the children who get chiropractic care were free of ear infections for at least six-month period. Maintenance for one or two times of every four to six weeks would be necessary for this result. Chiropractic adjustment mobilizes drainage of the ear in children. Continues drainage of fluids will eliminate the infection and will strengthen the immune system and help the child to recover much faster.

If you have anything to add to this post, please feel free to Post a comment or share your thoughts through Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or comment section below to join the conversation.

Obesity and Google Plus Thread

November 10, 2011 by drburt

Mitzi Vines – Nov 4, 2011 – Somebody needs to offer this guy some help!

James King – I look at this picture and wonder why anybody would allow themselves to become like this.

Shannon Fortenberry – I think he’s a hottie! 😉

Eduard Burt – Does he really need to eat more? He looks pretty bloated already.

David DeVore – There are lots of factors for why people get fat, most of the time they don’t “allow” themselves to get that way. Thin people don’t get it Nov 5, 2011 +2

Mitzi Vines – I know why I have stretch marks (not from kids, 180 in 7th grade) & it’s from donuts, little debbie cakes & southern eating. That reminds me everyday why I eat healthy & workout. YOU make the choice what goes in your body. I have too many obese people in my family & it’s by their choice!!!!! You don’t go to an all you can eat buffet & get 5 plates of food……Duh, your gonna look like the guy in the picture. Nov 5, 2011

Mark Young – Obesity is a disease of psychology not physiology. As soon as people get that we’ll on our way to a solution rather than telling them to eat less and move more. I’m pretty sure they’ve heard that before. Nov 5, 2011

Mitzi Vines – I totally disagree. Your not born with nore can get obesity. You get a disease. You don’t get obese! YOU make yourself obese!
Same as I said above. 2 aunts of mine, obese most of their life (by eating too much) were told by dr that if they didn’t do someting they would die. So what happened. They changed their eating habits, started walking & Bam they lost weight! It’s been proved too many times that it works!

Nov 5, 2011

Mark Young – I agree that obesity is caused by an intake that is greater than output. But the real solution can only be reached when we figure out WHY people are eating more and exercising less and addressing those issues.Truth be told, telling people to eat less and exercise more rarely solves the problem. Obese people do know this. They aren’t necessarily stupid and/or lazy. Obesity can be protection from a history of abuse, it can be cause by treating loneliness with food, it can be caused by non-walkable communities. There are so many factors.But ultimately, I think we need to stop criticizing obese as though this form of discrimination were any different than insulting gays or people of any other race or religion. Rarely does tearing anyone down build them up.And I’m happy for your aunts that have lost weight. But it is important to remember that 95% of people who lose weight will regain some or all of that weight within a year. The solution is not simple…and it certainly doesn’t come from insulting those who are in the most need of help. Nov 5, 2011 +3

Dave Ward – Good points. I also think people simply do not understand what happens when they eat certain foods, most particularly simple carbs and sugar. In my experience, when people understand the metabolic process associated with food intake and what happens after they swallow, they start to change. The care and feeding of the human body isn’t that hard. People just don’t know how to do it. We shouldn’t be surprised. We teach kids simple arithmetic, but not how to balance a budget. We drill them in PE, but don’t teach basic nutritional theory (not that the Food Pyramid would help much). Therefore, it shouldn’t be a big shock that our Government can’t balance their budget and our people can’t figure out how to eat. Obesity is far more complex than education, but in my experience working with people that are very overweight, few of them understand these issues. They focus on calories in and calories out, but are unaware that calories are simply not created equal. In any event, isolating people and making them feel less than “normal” doesn’t help. It’s part of the problem and we need to be part of the solution. Nov 5, 2011 +3

David DeVore – Eating is addictive, for some more so than drugs. Our culture promotes recreational eating, because people will buy more if they enjoy it. On top of the marketing agenda, most of the processed foods we eat today have chemicals in them that make them addictive. When people have low self-esteem (because they don’t look like a magazine model), people can become depressed. Eating is a favorite way for people to cope with depression, because it releases endorphin’s for a little bit, which will make the person think they feel better when they eat. Another factor that causes people to eat chronically is stress, and we are the most stressed out now than we have ever been, as a nation. People often resort to stress-eating because of the same endorphin high, but also because of the dopamine, which temporarily calms people down. The other reason people overeat is because the processed foods most people eat, because of whatever reason, is calorie rich, and nutrient poor. So the body is going to keep sending hunger signals because people are mal-nourished, even while being over-fed. I agree, people must be accountable for their lives, but it is shallow to look at them and think they are dumb for being flawed. Nov 5, 2011 +3

Dave Ward – Very true +David DeVore. When I explain this fact to people they are absolutely surprised. The food companies label their food in such deceptive ways. They use buzz words like “Fat Free”, “No Sugar Added” and “Gluten Free” on foods that shouldn’t have any of that in them anyway. The label has a big “FAT FREE” sign on it, but the food is loaded with sugar. People pick that up and think they are putting something good in their body. It’s a massive misinformation campaign designed to keep people eating more and more food that they think is healthy for them, but is not. Tony Horton told me once “eat more things with one ingredient in them, like a strawberry. You know what that is, because it’s a strawberry. You don’t need to google that.”Nov 5, 2011 +3

Mitzi Vines – So very true +David DeVore & +Dave Ward Very good info & points. I totally agree. I had a lady that told me that she literally thought Micky D’s was trying to make her fat. I laughed (to myself) but then tried to explain how much money she could save & better choices she could make by cooking at home. It’s all about trying to educate & help people! Nov 5, 2011

Eduard Burt – Excellent points everyone. Individuals must understand what they eat and make educated choices of what goes inside of their bodies. After all we are what we eat. I think I might use this thread for a new blog post and include everyone’s profile in it. If anyone objects please let me know. Nov 5, 2011 +1

Dave Ward – Cool with me. Off to roast some calories with some sprints and my kettlebell on the beach. Nov 5, 2011 +2

Eduard Burt – Awesome +Dave Ward. Going to ride my single Speed MTB before 6 hours flight to NYC Nov 5, 2011 +1

Andre Deveaux – Until you dig deep into the psyche of why a person overeats, it is difficult to have them adopt a healthy lifestyle. It is not as simple as cutting calories and increasing activity. There are so many different factors in play that often such a simplistic solution just will not address the true problem. Overeating for the most part is not the problem, but a symptom of a more serious problem. Nov 5, 2011 +2

Mitzi Vines – Ok with me too +Eduard Burt Today is my rest day but may have to go jump on the Treadmill!!!!! Nov 5, 2011

If you have anything to add to this post, please feel free to Post a comment or share your thoughts through Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or comment section below to join the conversation.

Paleo Diet and Your Health – Pros and Cons

November 5, 2011 by drburt

I have never been a big fan of any special diet. My health philosophy is simple – eat the same or less amount of calories that your body needs, regular exercises at least 3 times a week (cardio a must) and an adequate amount of rest (sleep is your weapon). Diets are just like fashions – the come and they go. They will arrive to our lives with a new twist, so people who promote them can sell the followers new books, recipes of the same meals with different names and so on. No matter how you look at the food and a new “super diet” at the end it all fall to three main ingredients: carbohydrates, fats and proteins. It is just a matter of combining the ingredients together in different proportions which provides a great variety of choices for a creation of a new diet.

The reason why I began to write this post is because I see so many disgusting photos of so to speak Paleo diet on Google Plus stream that people actually put it inside of their mouth and call it a healthy meal. Personally my eyes can not even look some of the photos. If I would have to eat that meal, all of my vital organ would have to shut down slowly one after another. I think fashion diet just overtakes normal common sense in every follower. Many want to look and feel good but lack the basic understanding of the physiology of a human body and nutrition. The Paleo diet was popularized by Walter Voegtlin in the 1970’s and is very similar to Atkins and Meat Lovers diets – which were very popular about 10 years ago or so.

Paleo is a short term for Paleolithic – which means “old stone age.” So basically this means that we are going to be talking about a cave man diet and its interpretation in a modern world by the followers. Caveman did not have access to McDonald, Burger Kings, KFC and other fast food restaurants. They would hunt for a fresh meat and collect food that they found. In theory this kind of lifestyle was keeping them very healthy – free of disease such as cancer, arthritis, osteoporosis and cardiovascular conditions. In theory it appears like a great way to live your life and stay healthy for years to come. However, in modern day society hunting and plant based food gathering is not practical unless one has a really good trust fund in his/her name.

It was not until 2005 that the Paleo Diet came into its own, with the publication of Loren Cordain’s The Paleo Diet for Athletes: A Nutritional Formula for Peak Athletic Performance. With athletes beginning to endorse the diet, it gained momentum, hitting the big time in 2010, with the publication of Cordain’s next book, The Paleo Diet and Rob Wolf’s book, The Paleo Solution. This is just a small paragraph about the promotional history of the diet.

Modern cave man diet is not supposed to have sugar or salt added to it which is a good thing. However, 65% of the diet is based on meat eating and 35% is based on plant based nutrition. Most of the people who follow the diet buy the meat at the local supermarkets because of an easy access and the cost. Not too many people can afford to buy meat that has been hunted in a wild or grass fed. Meat purchased at the local stores has some serious bonus features added to it – growth hormones, antibiotics, high pesticide concentrations, heavy metals toxicity from over 100,000 manmade chemicals now found in the environment, Strontium, high levels of omega-6 fatty acids as a result of being grain fed. As for fish, even if you catch it yourself, you’re now looking at mercury contamination, dioxin, and sex altering hormones — things Paleo fishermen never had to deal with.

Let’s talk about confused followers that I see posting the photos of their meals on Google Plus stream and stating that this meal is healthy. Please do let me know what you think about this photo. I was attacked on this thread by some Paleo followers and felt like being in some sort of religious cult versus intelligent discussion. I will not reveal the full names or photos of people in this thread. I was the one who posted a first response when I first saw it on my Google Plus stream. For your information I did not even know what Paleo diet was when I first saw the photo. So, I have done my research before publishing and there is a lot more that can be discussed but this post is already too long.

Eduard Burt – Deduct at least 10 years from your life if you continue eating this. Sorry, but I just can’t help it being silenced about it.

Sep 29, 2011

Jose J.M. – +Eduard Burt why do you think that?

Sep 29, 2011

Matthew G. – +Eduard Burt, those are the bedpan and diaper years. You can keep those.

Sep 29, 2011

Jamie F. – If only science agreed with you, Eduard. There’s no evidence to link meat and fat with any disease.

Sep 29, 2011

Eduard Burt – I guess I expressed my opinion at the wrong channel. Sorry for being correct.

Sep 29, 2011

Matthew G. – You haven’t proven yourself to be correct, +Eduard Burt. Evidence or GTFO!

Sep 29, 2011

Scott G. – What’s it fried in?

Sep 29, 2011

Kevin G. – +Eduard Burt I’m not sure what problem you’re discussing? Saturated fats, maybe? You do realize a lot of those concerns have been debunked after longitudinal studies were conducted, right? (see: Framingham Study). Also that the original study (Ansel, I believe) connecting fats with heart disease studied TWENTY-TWO countries but only published the six that fit the hypothesis?

Please address you concerns more specifically, please!

Eduard Burt – http://www.mountsinai.org/about-us/newsroom/press-releases/study-shows-that-reducing-processed-and-fried-food-intake-lowers-related-health-risks-and-restores-bodys-defenses

Sep 29, 2011 –

Eduard Burt – Let’s ask +Jose J.J. ? How did you feel after eating this meal? 1. Healthy 2. Bloated 3. Heartburn 4. Do not know, I just like fried stuff. 5. I don’t care

By the way what is the yellow fried portion of the meal?

Sep 29, 2011 –

Kevin G. – Thank you! So you’re talking about frying food vs. stewing or poaching — or eating more “raw” or at least less-cooked/less-processed foods. Of course, the study is only about that. Reduction in wheat is also anti-inflammatory, so removing gluten from your diet can also offsite frying/overcooking of foods. However, you’re correct that less cooking is probably better health-wise. Then again, stating that a fried/grilled meal WITHOUT gluten will take 10 years off your life may be wrong. There’s a counterbalance there.

Sep 29, 2011

Eduard Burt – +Kevin G. fried and grilled are two different cooking processes. Second one is better depending on what kind grilling you do.

Sep 29, 2011

Kevin G. – Oh… just so you know where I’m coming from: I went off grains to see if it would combat the SERIOUS acid reflux that was keeping me awake at nights. It did. Then I noticed my asthma was clearing up as well, so in consultation with my doctor I eventually went off both grains and my 30-year need for asthma medication (and dropped 30 pounds and improved my cardiovascular function). Then again, I eat lots of meat, vegetables, dairy and greens with very little fried food. I’m definitely not a meat-centric person.

You’re right about grilling — I typically mean outdoor grilling which tends to create char which can carcinogenic in nature (but so, so very tasty).

Expand this comment »

Sep 29, 2011

Eduard Burt – Thanks +Kevin G. for a real life change experience. I deal with this diet addiction at my clinic with many patients. I most deal with injuries, but the healing process can not be completed if your diet is bad and your face is inflamed all the time. That means that everything else is inflamed as well inside – thus is the reason for a constant pain. +Jose J.J. let the rest of us know how you felt after that meal.

Sep 29, 2011 –

Jose J.J. – +Eduard Burt I felt excellent. The same way I’ve been feeling since going paleo about a year ago. The pork chop in the picture has the skin attached. You may call it bacon if you like. The yellow ‘things’ are called tostones which are fried green plantains. Everything was deep fried in pork fat. By the way, during the year I have been doing paleo I have lost 90 pounds, got rid of a couple of skin rashes, got rid of inflammation, the metabolic syndrome is gone (high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high blood lipids, headaches, migraines, heartburn, diarrhea followed by occasional constipation and sleep apnea). Yes, I had all those. I made a decision and have never looked back. So, you can have your standard diet and your conventional wisdom. Because I have been feeling wonderfully, full of energy and enjoying life I will keep eating my paleo diet and living the paleo lifestyle.

PS, I own 3 pairs of VFF’s and enjoy going barefoot as much as I can. Also (and this may be a problem for you too) I enjoy sunbathing a lot since I know my needs for vitamin D.

If you want to understand more about this lifestyle you can read +Robb Wolf ‘s excellent book “The Paleo Solution”. I highly recommend it. It may even change your life and gain you ten more years. You can also read several blogs like +David Csonka ‘s, +steve cooksey ‘s or Mark’s Daily Apple which are excellent.

Expand this comment »

Sep 29, 2011 +4

Eduard Burt – I am glad @Jose that this diet is working out for you and for many other supporters on this topic of the conversation.

On a final note if I would have eaten this meal all my vital organs would shut down one after another. I guess this diet is just like sport requires some endurance for a digestive system.

Sep 29, 2011 –

Rachel B. – Never had a plantain, can’t find pork chops like that around here. Looks really good.

Sep 30, 2011

Jose J.J. – +Rachel B. ask your butcher to leave the bacon attached to the pork chop. It’s very flavorful and the skin become a crackling.

Sep 30, 2011 +1

Jose J.J. – +Eduard Burt You probably are having some type of wheat in your diet. If you want to start feeling better all the time, including the after meal moments, no matter how large your portions or how much animal fat is in them consider trying a Whole 30:

It can change your life too.

Sep 30, 2011 +1

Eduard Burt – +Jose J.J I feel like an 18 year old. My diet is great. Nothing personal but I am just collecting an independent opinion. That is all.

Sep 30, 2011 –

Jose J.J. – +Eduard Burt Are you a vegetarian? Otherwise, if you eat meat how can you explain your statement – “On a final note if I would have eaten this meal all my vital organs would shut down one after another. I guess this diet is just like sport requires some endurance for a digestive system.” Is it the animal fat in the meal? Your thoughts…

Sep 30, 2011

Eduard Burt – I eat chicken, turkey, fish, on occasion lamb or goat. To answer your question – I am not a vegetarian.

If you have anything to add to this post, please feel free to Post a comment or share your thoughts through Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or comment section below to join the conversation.

Chiropractic Questions and Chiropractor Answers

September 19, 2011 by drburt

Chiropractic Questions and Chiropractor Answers

Question #25

Lower back pains !!!?

I work an eight hour shift almost every day and stand on my feet constantly. My work duties require me lifting heavy objects. I always try to lift with my legs and not my back. However, lately the lower right side of my back has been killing me. It is very painful to sit, so I stand more or lay down when I get the chance. What can I do to lessen the pain?

Answer:

From my professional standpoint it appears that you might have an overuse or repetitive soft tissue injury. That might involve sprained tendons and strained musculature around the lumbar spine. Also herniated disc and subluxated lumbar vertebral level can also be contributing factors for the pain. I would suggest that you take some time off of work and see your local chiropractor who has physical therapy equipment and massage therapist in the office. The time off of work will allow your body to avoid farther soft tissue damage and proper rehabilitation will expedite the healing process. Hope it answered your question

Question #26

What’s wrong with my ankle(s)?

Last year during volleyball practice, I dove and twisted my ankle. Ever since it has been weird. I’ve had really flat feet since I was a little kid, and my ankles always hurt because of that. i don’t wear very supportive shoes, but even when I do it doesn’t help. I went to a podiatrist a few months ago, and he diagnosed me with an excessively flexible flat foot. Strange. I use an ace bandage on my ankle, but to no avail. Nothing has made it feel better. It hurts off and on, though, and when it hurts it hurts a lot. I think I sprained it that day, and since I have bad feet, it just never healed. Do you think that’d what happened? Also, do you recommend for me to get those sport supports you put on your ankles with your shoes while playing? Thanks in advance. Also, I’m kind of an injury magnet 😀 never broken anything, but I always seem to be hurting myself

Answer:

You are correct about sprain injury to your ankle. When this happens the soft tissue needs a proper rehabilitation in order to prevent scar tissue formation. Most likely you did not have any rehabilitation at all thus is the reason for the pain. At this point it is in chronic stage and will require some time to fix it. Deep tissue massage and active/passive ROM will help. As to your second question about ankle support – you can use it if it does not interfere with your game and running pattern. The most important thing is keeping your gate normal.

Question #27

Tingling in my left leg, please help?

It started with lower back problem where i could sit down for a period of time, couldnt bend over or put on my socks. This happened overnight. This lasted for 5 months then I woke up with tingling and pain on my left butt cheek all the way down my leg. All of this has lasted for 8 months now and wont go away. Have been through 3 X-rays, and 3 Physical Therapist and nothing. They refuse to give me an MRI. They keep saying it’s a weak core but I know it’s not because I can do advanced core exercises with not problem. I believe my muscle is pinching my sciatic nerve. Can someone please shed some light on this for me?

Answer:

X-Rays will not show soft tissue problem. What you need is an MRI, but it looks like your ignorant doctors refuse to authorize it. Sounds like a Kaiser type of therapy. Physical therapy will not help either at this point and time as strengthening injured musculature and soft tissue is only going to make things worse. Get a second opinion about your problem. I am afraid if you are attached to a particular treatment facility your only option would be paying out of your own pocket and figure out what is going on. I think finding a local neurologist or a chiropractor would be my first step. It all depends on what kind of treatment you would prefer for this kind of problem. It could be Sciatica but it could also be Sacroilliac Joint misalignment.

If you have anything to add to this post, please feel free to Post a comment or share your thoughts through Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or comment section below to join the conversation.